n each night
winding its way around the pole, must have deeply impressed itself upon
the minds of the primitive star gazers of the Euphratean valley, and
conveyed suggestions of imagery, one of which may have created the
Phoenician caduceus. At a later period when Ursa Major became circumpolar,
the "seven lights of heaven" became in turn associated with the stable
centre and suggested, in time, the seven-branched candlestick of the
Hebrews which is to this day constructed with a central or principal
holder, associated with stability. It is remarkable to note the same
ancient fundamental association in the elevated and beautiful imagery
employed by the descendant of ancient Euphratean star-worshippers, in
Revelation IV, in describing his vision: "... And, behold, a throne _was
set_ in heaven, and _one_ sat on the throne.... And there were seven lamps
of fire burning before the throne.... And before the throne there was a
sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne and round
about the throne were four beasts...."

The idea cited by Mr. Robert Brown, of the sacred pole-tree with golden
apples guarded by the constellation Nakkasch, has already been mentioned
and to this ancient image should be added the celestial tree of life set
in the midst of the garden of Paradise, whence "went out a river to water
the garden and from thence it was parted and became four heads."... It is
as easy to see how the standard of Assur, which always marked the central
place of worship, should have been evolved, as it is to realize why the
fire-stick, rod or sceptre should have been adopted by monarchs as an
emblem of central rulership, and why, finally, each centre of government
should have adopted some specific symbol which, mounted on the staff,
became its tribal or national emblem. It does not appear hazardous to
designate as such the ornamented staffs already described, which are
represented on the bas-reliefs, in groups of four, a number agreeing with
that of the "four regions." It has already been pointed out that a group
of four sceptres, corresponding to the royal title "lord of four regions,"
is carved close to the hand of Esarhaddon on the fine Sendschirli tablet
at Berlin.

In Babylonia, the local deity of Girsu was entitled "the lord of the true
sceptre," "the lord of the right-hand sceptre," a name which implies that,
where dual rulership prevailed, a distinction was made between right-hand
and left-hand sceptre